Premier Li Keqiang assured farmers of government agricultural subsidies and encouraged them to improve productivity during a visit to the rural suburbs of Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Tuesday.

Li walked along a muddy footpath in a rain shower to see sugarcane fields in Chongtao village, where he asked local farmers details about sugarcane planting and price fluctuations. He also learned about the farmers' living conditions and asked if they received government agricultural subsidies.

"Sugar is a necessity for the people. Your hard work is indispensable. The government will assist you by providing cheaper agricultural means of production and maintaining sugar prices at a proper level," Li was quoted by Xinhua News Agency as saying.